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Beijing - Riot police clashed with pro-democracy
protesters in Hong Kong's busy Mong Kok area for a second night late on Saturday
and early on Sunday, with each side blaming the other for the violence.

Organisers of the student-led protests accused police of
attacking protesters with batons, while the authorities said they had used
"minimum force" after they were repeatedly charged by the
demonstrators.

"A large number of people who were illegally
occupying the carriageway on Nathan Road near Argyle Street in Mong Kok
suddenly attempted to charge police cordon lines," a police statement said
on Sunday.

It said repeated warnings were ignored.

"Police thus took resolute action by applying
minimum force to disperse them to prevent the situation from
deteriorating."

It said three people were injured, but local media said
at least two dozen protesters had been hurt.

A man was arrested for carrying two knives in his
backpack, police said.

Local broadcaster RTHK quoted a spokesperson as saying
police also detained a 23-year-old man suspected of posting online messages
encouraging people "take part in illegal assemblies" and charge the
police.

Police had reported 26 arrests by early Saturday
following the clashes on Friday.

The protesters are calling for open elections for the
semi-autonomous Chinese territory's next chief executive in 2017, rejecting a
ruling from Beijing that candidates must be approved by a government-backed
election committee.

The Hong Kong government is trying to persuade protest
groups to end their action and on Saturday said talks with protest leaders were
likely to take place on Tuesday.

The talks were expected to last about two hours and would
be broadcast live, said Carrie Lam, Hong Kong's chief secretary for
administration.

In Washington, US Secretary of State John Kerry discussed
Hong Kong with State Councillor Yang Jiechi, China's top diplomat, on Friday
and Saturday.

Kerry shared "our perspective, our views, our hopes,
and our concerns with regard to the situation in Hong Kong, both in the short
term and beyond", a state department official said.

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